


Rapunzel

by orochiis



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, F/M, Revelations, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-11-08 06:09:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11075628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orochiis/pseuds/orochiis
Summary: She was a princess in her tower- totally untouchable.And he was scared of heights.





	1. Childhood

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be dark but i am Bad at dark so it's just sad. Two chapters, the second of which will probably be up by the end of the month!

He was five when they met.

"We're going to the Northern Fortress, Leo," Xander said, looking down on his younger brother.

"It's boring there. And cold."

"Your sister is there, and we're going to see her."

"What are you talking about? Camilla and Elise are both here." He was right of course- he always was.

"Your new sister."

"Another new sibling?"

"Yes. But she is different than the rest, Leo."

"She won't fight us? Mother is okay with it?"

Leo was fine with it then. He didn't really understand, but he got in the carriage, squished between Xander and Camilla, the elder of who held Elise on his knee. The Northern Fortress was a while away, and Leo was quickly bored. He hauled a heavy story book onto his knee, running his finger along the spine before he paged through it, picking out his favourite story. It was about a princess in a tower, not allowed to go out, who helped a prince up by letting her hair tumble down the side of the tower for him to climb up. When the carriage pulled up in front of the Northern Fortress, Leo couldn't help but wonder if his sister would have hair that would cascade down the side of the stronghold.

Camilla stayed downstairs with Elise- she was still young, and Xander said they didn't want too many people in with their new sister at once. Camilla had already met the princess, and spent the entire carriage journey singing her praises. Leo's expectations weren't high- a lot of the other siblings he had were awful people, and he didn't have it in himself to believe that this girl would be anything different. Xander knocked softly on her door, and she opened it, peering around the corner. When she saw it was Xander, she threw the door open and flung herself at his leg, almost knocking him over.

"Hello, little princess. May we come in?"

She nodded, and sat on her bed as Leo and Xander hovered near the door. Her hair was wild yet not long like he had imagined. Black was the colour of her hair and eyes, and her dress was the same colour. She almost blended in with her surroundings, but it was her red eyes that Leo noticed most, staring into his soul. He held eye contact with her for an unusually long time, before she looked back to Xander.

"Corrin, this is your younger brother, Leo. Leo, this is Corrin. She's six, just one year older than you."

"Nice to meet you," he offered.

She didn't say anything, but nodded slowly, her face confused. Xander coughed awkwardly. It wasn't his job to make them talk to each other- he was only nine himself, after all. He was no better at interacting with the younger girl himself, yet he seemed inexplicably to be her favourite. Xander would explain later to Leo that she just liked him most because they met first, and that she would definitely grow to like him in time soon too. Camilla too would tell him that- she took time to get comfortable around people, and it had been the same with her. But he was the closest in age to her, so it should be easier for her, shouldn't it?

So he supposed.

* * *

He was six when they actually had a conversation.

His mother wasn't too keen on him visiting the Northern Fortress all the time, so he was kept at home with her while his siblings went to visit Corrin. This frustrated him greatly- Elise was only four, and yet she was allowed to go almost every time, and she came back talking about how much fun she had playing with Corrin's hair, and how lovely she was. Leo didn't know anything more about the girl than the time he was introduced to her.

Xander invited him one day, when his mother was out of town and the weather was nice. The plan was for them to have a picnic in the small garden of the Northern Fortress, but that wasn't something Leo liked. Regardless, he went along with it, and a few hours later he found himself sitting in the garden on a checked red and white blanket with a basket Xander had somehow procured from the kitchens in Castle Krakenburg. Corrin was there too, her short hair adorned with ribbons of Elise's choosing. She sat opposite him, between Xander and Elise, while Camilla sat beside him, offering a friendly pat on the shoulder.

Sandwiches weren't Leo's food of choosing, but he nibbled through them, cake, and fruit to appease Corrin, as that is what she asked for. She barely ate at all- a small sandwich, a few crumbs of cake, and one apple slice. Leo had to wonder why she wasn't eating, but didn't question it out loud. Eventually, Xander had to go and train, and Camilla took Elise of to get changed when she spilled juice all over herself. This left Leo and Corrin alone, for the first time ever.

"How are you?" He asked quietly, not expecting a response. But she opened her mouth, and Leo raised an eyebrow when she spoke, her voice quiet and raspy, not at all how he expected it.

"I'm fine. How are you, brother?"

"Good. I enjoyed the picnic."

"I'm glad. I had the food picked out specially. Do you think the others liked it?"

"I'm sure they did. Elise liked it so much she wanted to become one with her juice," he smirked. She stared blankly at him, not understanding his words. "You know, because she poured it over herself."

"Oh, right," she giggled, but Leo could tell she still didn't understand even after his explanation.

"You don't understand," he said bluntly. He was right of course- he always was.

"No, sorry," she whispered.

"It's fine. Maybe one day."

* * *

He was seven when they spent a significant amount of time together.

One particularly rainy day, he was abandoned in the Northern Fortress with her, while his elder brother and sister were brought back to the castle to go through their weaponry training. They had been staying with Corrin the past few days- after all, it would've been rude to deny the birthday girl seeing her family. Elise was there too, but as much as Leo liked her, he found her incredibly boring to be around after only a half an hour.

Corrin's room was at the top of the tower, and Leo scaled them on his own for the first time ever, hauling a heavy hardback tome behind him. Books were his thing, and he could share that with his sister, just like Camilla and Elise shared their love of clothes with her. He knocked on the door three times, and she called from inside for her to come in, although he had to strain to hear her quiet voice. He pushed the door open and wandered in. She was sitting on her bed, eyes glazed over as she stared out the window. She didn't acknowledge him as he sat beside her on her bed, and he noted her fingers pulling at the baby pink blankets beneath her. Eventually, she turned to him, smiling gently.

"Hi, Leo."

"Hello, sister. Would you like to read?"

"Read?"

"I brought a book."

"Why don't you read to me? I'm sure you're a lot better than I am. You're so smart, Leo. Everyone says so."

"I guess," he said proudly, doing his best not to puff his chest out. He was right, of course- he always was. He flipped the pages across to favourite story, moving the book so the weight was shared on her knee too. "Go on. I'm sure you could do it."

"Ra... ra... pun... I don't know this word."

"Of course not," he sighed. "It's her name," he said, pointing at the watercolour painting of the girl below the title.

"She's very pretty. Look at her hair!"

"Just try and read the story, Corrin. Her name is Rapunzel. It's a type of lettuce."

"Imagine calling your child after a vegetable!" Corrin laughed, holding her stomach. "Tomato, Pea, it's time for dinner!"

"Actually, tomatoes are fruits," Leo scowled, annoyed at how sidetracked they were getting.

"Seriously?"

"Just read the book, Corrin. Or do you not want to? I can go away."

"No! I'll try. But I'm not very good, Leo. If you want to read, maybe you should read to me?"

"I believe in you."

"Okay," Corrin agreed hesitantly, using her finger to point out individual syllables. "Once... upon... a time... there... was... a... pri... princess?"

"That's it," Leo encouraged. Corrin smiled widely, and turned her attention back to the book.

"She... lived in a... tower. Just like me! Her... mother... kept... her... there... to... keep...her...safe... from... the... world... Leo this is going to take forever. Look how long this story is!"

"Fine. I'll read. But you have to promise me that you'll learn how to read properly for the next time I come to visit."

By the end of the story, Corrin was entranced with the story of the princess with hair that never stopped growing, and Leo couldn't help but notice the way she twirled the lengths of her own hair around her finger. He closed the book with a thud, drawing Corrin out of her imagination. She seemed to enjoy the story a lot, even though she had given up on reading two sentences in.

"Do you think I should grow my hair long like Rapunzel? Then if anyone came to visit me, they could come right up to my room without having to walk up the stairs!"

"Maybe you should," Leo mused, holding back a laugh that such an absurd situation could even be plausible.

* * *

He was eight when he decided that Corrin was his favourite sister.

He couldn't compare her to Xander- she was far too different. He was stoic and serious, whereas she was bubbly and excitable. But unlike Camilla and Elise, she longed to learn like he did. Camilla and Elise did their usual lessons, but he often found Corrin reading the book of fairy tales that he had left for her. He noticed once that she had abandoned it, instead reading a short novel he had gifted her on her birthday, and his heart swelled with pride that he had managed to teach her how to read.

"Xander says next year he'll teach me how to use a sword," Corrin told him excitedly one day. "That means he'll probably teach you soon, too!"

"I don't really want to learn swordsmanship," Leo confessed.

"Really? How else will you fight?"

"Camilla's been using an axe," he pointed out.

"Oh, so is that what you'll do?"

"No. I'm interested in magic."

"Is magic real? I thought it was just in stories."

"No, it's real. We have so many mages in Nohr, and I'm sure one of them will teach me."

"I can't wait to do weapon training. What Xander says is really cool!"

"You really look up to him, don't you?"

"Big brother is really nice to me," Corrin nodded. "He teaches me lots of things. I'm getting lessons now, too. Gunter says I can read well enough. And I think that's thanks to you."

"Well, I'm glad. What is it you're reading now?"

"It's about a factory where they make sweets," Corrin explained, holding the book up for Leo. "Although it takes me a long time to read it," she admitted, glancing at her knees.

"That's okay. It took me a long time to read when I was just starting too."

"But you're younger than me, Leo, and you read long books that I know I couldn't."

"But you only just started. You're not going to improve that quickly." He was right, of course- he always was.

"What's your favourite book?" She asked, quickly changing the subject.

"That's a hard question," he said. "I read one once about a woman who was ostracised from her town because she had a baby."

"That sounds interesting."

"It was very long, and took me a while to read. Perhaps I'll read it again in a few years when I'm older."

"You must be a genius, Leo. At least, that's what Camilla calls you."

* * *

He was nine when she started paying less attention to him.

For years Leo had been alone. He was never particularly good at socialising, and didn't really feel the need to. Camilla and Xander were the only ones he interacted with, and when Elise was born, they turned all their attention to her- she was new, a novelty so to speak. And they were _allowed_ to speak with her, unlike so many of their other half brothers and sisters. Elise was cute, he'd give her that, but she couldn't _do_ anything. She just lay there for ages, doing nothing, staring at everyone around her- that was it.

It was only when Corrin arrived that he didn't want to be alone any more. They had spent a lot of time reading together, and Camilla often commented that the two got along extremely well. But when she turned ten, she picked up a sword, and Leo found himself and his books replaced by Xander and his practice dummies. He often watched her train from his bedroom window in the Northern Fortress. She was talented; he would give her that, as if she was born to wield a sword. She was light on her feet, nimble as she dashed around Xander, who was definitely getting a run for his money.

It wouldn't be long until he could begin to train as well. Camilla had trained early, and he hoped that if he asked father nice enough he may be allowed to pick up a tome soon too. There was a promise of a mythical weapon if he could get good enough, and he hoped that he could prove himself. He had stolen a tome from the armoury once when it wasn't guarded, but it had burned his hand (it was fire, after all). He had resigned himself to reading it- it was full of spell explanations on how the tome itself worked, and this greatly interested him.

Corrin was still outside training when he looked out before going down to dinner. She had promised him they'd read together after her training, before dinner, but that clearly wasn't going to happen. She was ten now, of course. Everyone began to ignore him when they reached ten years old. Perhaps he'd do the same to them then- it was only seven months to his birthday (not that he was counting).

He promised himself that he'd perfect magic. If not for himself, and his own satisfaction, then for the rest of his family- he was always looked down upon as the second son, the second youngest child. He wouldn't amount to anything. Well, he'd show them. Prove them wrong.

He was right, of course- he always was.

* * *

He was ten when he figured out that Corrin wasn't actually his sister.

Although he couldn't tell her- he wasn't sure if he even knew herself. Leo had always been very acute in his observations, and he cursed himself for not noticing it earlier. Her hair was completely different than his other siblings- that, he originally put down to whoever her mother was. Camilla's hair was purple, of course, unlike the rest of their blonde. But that was the only thing he had a rational explanation for. Corrin's eyes were red, and almond shaped, unlike the purple that the rest of his family had, including their father. Her nose was different too, he noticed one day while observing her. Her nose was small and round, different from the strong Nohrian nose he and his brother were always told he had. And then there were her ears.

It took years of knowing each other before he ever saw them, usually tucked away behind her dark hair. They were pointed at the ends, instead of the round ears that everyone else he knew had. In fact, he had never even seen ears like hers. It was the moment when she absentmindedly brushed her hair behind her ears while penning a letter to Elise back at Castle Krakenburg that he realised that there was no way they could truly be brother and sister.

He sought out Xander. Surely, as the oldest, he would know, or at least be able to understand his doubts about their sister's origins. The fact that he only met her aged six was another factor- he had met Elise the day after she was born. What annoyed him most, though, was the fact that it took him five years to figure it out.

"Xander?"

"Yes, little brother?" He answered, setting his teacup down. Camilla did the same, clearly they were having afternoon tea together, and he felt like he was intruding.

"I have a question. "

"Go on, then."

"Is Corrin really our sister?"

There was a pause. He was right, of course- he always was. The silence itself was confirmation- Xander didn't even need to say anything. Camilla snorted into her tea. Leo couldn't tell if she was impressed or laughing at him.

"Not by blood, no," Xander filled in eventually. "But she is our sister nonetheless. While not related by blood, she is a part of the family."

"Okay." He was contented by his elder brother's answer. But it was his facial expression, and Camilla's too, that didn't sit well with him. He looked worried, on the verge of panicked, perhaps because Leo had figured it out. The ten year old was always praised for his genius, so why was it so strange that he found this out too?

* * *

He was eleven when he noticed how long her hair had become.

Instead of letting it sit wildly around her shoulders, she often tied it up now, either in two buns or two pigtails. Her hair was noticeably curlier now, more akin to Camilla's hair texture. He watched her intently one day as she read, back to the thick tome full of fairytales. She often read what he would consider proper books now, but seemed always to make her back to the magical make believe of the stories.

"How many times have you read that now?" He asked one day, sitting opposite her at dinner. Camilla had commented that she was becoming like him now- rarely seen without a book.

"It's my favourite," she laughs softly.

"Still reading Rapunzel?"

"She's an inspirtation."

"Inspiration," Leo corrected.

"I tried."

"Is that why your hair is so long now, then?"

"Yeah. I'm hoping a handsome prince from a far away land will come and rescue me from my tower," she said sadly, staring down at her barely touched plate of food.

"You hate being here."

"You state the obvious," she laughed dryly. He was right, of course- he always was. But she seemed genuinely upset, as if she truly did want someone to climb up her wall and spirit her away. When he realised this, part of him regretted giving her the book. But the other, more sensible part of him knew that that book was likely her only solace here, alone more often that. A lot more often- he and his siblings had stopped visiting as often, he had noticed. He and Xander had sword training every day now, but Leo was largely uninterested in that.

"You'll be able to come to the Castle soon, though. Not that you're missing much- it's still dark and dreary there, though," Leo said in attempt to comfort her.

"Leo, have you ever been to Hoshido?"

"No," he answered quickly, feeling Xander's eyes on him. All eyes had turned to Corrin at the mention of the other country. The war had largely been kept from her- here in the Northern Fortress, Corrin was kept away from the majority of the fighting. Elise too- she knew little of the horrors her family were committing on the battlefield. Neither Camilla nor Leo had seen it for themselves, but Xander had been out, and Leo could always tell when he'd had to kill someone. But that was what they were trained for, so they couldn't complain.

"I wonder what it's like there," Corrin mumbles almost wistfully. "These books all paint it so beautifully."

"We're at war with them, Corrin," Leo said, not meeting her eyes.

"War?" She said, testing the word out in her mouth. She knew what it was, of course. "Oh."

"Sorry, Corrin," Xander said. "But you will likely never see Hoshido."

"It's okay."

Leo felt awful upon seeing her face fall.

* * *

He was twelve when he trained with her for the first time.

His scrawny mage's prepubescent body wasn't the sort for sword fighting, but Xander had been training him regardless of his complaints. He had shown his elder brother his spells he had been practising, and Xander had been impressed, promising to find Leo a tutor specifically for the training of magic. But his sword skills were still lacking, and Corrin was older, and stronger, and he didn't have it in him to hurt her in any way.

"Good luck big sister!" Elise called from the sidelines, staff clutched between her gloved hands. Gunter had suggested that she get some real life practice on what was the closest she'd ever get to a battlefield situation.

"Aren't you going to wish me luck?" Leo complained, holding his sword between two shaking hands.

"No, because I want Corrin to win."

"She'll win no matter who you cheer on," he muttered. He was right, of course- he always was. "Are you ready, sister?" He all but sneered.

"You may have the first move."

And he did, dashing toward her with his sword poised in front of him to strike. She spun out of the way, but lost her balance and hit the ground with a bump. She quickly got the upper hand, though, when Leo offered to help her up and she hit him with her sword, pushing him away from her to allow her to jump to her feet and move towards him. He blocked and parried every single one of her strikes, until finally he was pushed down with an expert strike that reminded him so much of Xander's style of fighting. Her style was unique, though. Her movements were more fluid, dance like. She practically floated into every strike, and it was only when she pointed her wooden practice sword at his throat did he realise that he had lost. She offered a hand to him to pull him up, and he begrudgingly took it, getting to his feet.

"That was so good!" Elise cried, bouncing over to her two elder siblings. "Now, stand still so I can heal you."

"You have the devil's own luck," Leo commented, stealing a phrase from one of his favourite novels. "You make good use of other people's weaknesses."

"I wouldn't call your kindness a weakness, Leo," she said kindly.

"I would," he said bluntly. "A-anyway, I don't even want to use a sword."

"Magic, right? See, I remember." A smile broke out on her face, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Xander said he would find me a tutor."

"I'm sure you'll make a wonderful mage."

"And what about me?" Elise said, pouting at the lack of attention.

"Your healing is already wonderful, little sister. I can barely even feel that I've been hurt!"

* * *

He was thirteen when he was given a sacred weapon.

Xander had already received Siegfried, and there was talk circulating of a weapon for Corrin, although no one knew what it was or when it would show up. Camilla was perfectly happy with just the axe that she practiced with, and as of late she had been practising with tomes as well. Leo was admittedly jealous- magic was his thing, and he possessed more talent than she ever would, even two years younger than her. And of course, Elise was a healer, the staff being the only thing she needed to make her impact on the battlefield.

So when Brynhildr was passed into his hands by his father, Leo couldn't help but feel a mixture of pride and extreme responsibility. The binding in the book looked fragile, but the more Leo turned the pages, the tighter wound they became- some sort of magical reaction to the power both he and the book possessed. This tome was a lot more detailed than any of the Fire or Wind tomes he was most used to (though he did have a thing for the destructive power of Elfire, he discovered). Each paged contained hundreds of tiny, hand written words, and diagrams detailing how it was supposed to work.

Brynhildr gave him complete control of nature- he could grow plants with each hand, huge oak trees and entire flowerbeds and vines that could crawl up a person and suffocate them without him getting his hands dirty. Well, that's what the book detailed. In reality, all he could really do was grow tiny shoots in the palm of his hand that he could crush with barely any effort. It took all his effort to do that, but he continued, in the hope that eventually, the oak trees that the tome detailed would somehow sprout in front of him.

The other power it gave him was a certain level of control over gravity, and that came in particularly useful one day when Corrin was training with Camilla. The mage had never used this particular aspect of the sacred tome before, so when the situation arose that it was necessary, he didn't know properly how to use it.

The spar was mostly gentle- Camilla would never have dreamed of hurting a hair on her sister's head. It was Corrin that made the mistake- she jumped and grabbed onto Marzia's legs. Camilla didn't notice at first, and flew higher to get away from the battlefield. Marzia kicked up a fuss, and Corrin fell. Leo was sitting on a bench nearby, reading the details of the tome, when he saw Corrin's dark hair streaming out behind her as she plummeted towards the ground. Leo threw a hand out in a futile attempt to catch her. But she stopped, frozen, suspended in mid air. He thought time itself had stopped until Camilla landed Marzia and Corrin turned her head to him, her mouth open as if to scream.

"What have you done?" Camilla asked, rushing over to him.

"I don't know," he replied, his voice panicked. "The tome- Brynhildr- supposedly gives the owner control over gravity. I guess that's it."

"Well, put her down."

"I don't know how!"

"Why didn't you think about that before you stopped her?"

"I didn't mean to! But I saved her life!"

"Can you just put me down!" Corrin called, and Leo reached his hand out again for her, causing her to crash unceremoniously to the ground. He went over to her, to reach out to her, properly, and help her up.

"That was stupid, wasn't it?" He said, smirking. He was right, of course- he always was.

* * *

He was fourteen when he was forced to lead his own army into battle.

He didn't even know he had his own army. They were supposed to be visiting Corrin one weekend, but word had been sent from the Northern Fortress that the princess was sick, and couldn't have any visitors. Everyone was visibly upset at this news, particularly Elise, who had an entire weekend of fun planned out for her big sister. Leo was obviously saddened by the news as well, but wouldn't let his siblings know this.

It was almost immediately after this news came to him that he was summoned to see his father. Garon didn't usually have much to do with the youngest Nohrian prince- it was Xander that was the obvious favourite, although he often doted on Camilla too. Even Corrin was higher in his favour- she wasn't even biologically his, and Leo had to wonder why he'd taken her in all that time ago.

"You wanted to see me father?" He asked, nervous in the presence of the king.

"Yes. I want you to lead a small army to quash a rebel alliance on the outskirts of Cheve."

"Me?"

"You are Leo, correct?"

"Yes, father."

"Then go. Think of it as a test of your strength. None of your siblings will accompany you. Well... I suppose Elise could go. I don't know how much she'll help you, though."

"Thank you, father. I won't let you down." He was right, of course- he always was. He returned successful. He wasn't sure if they'd really quashed the rebellion, since there was only maybe ten people to fight when they got there. He had heard of an army quickly gaining strength inside Cheve, but the walls had been impenetrable- Xander had to retreat from them mere weeks earlier. Elise had come with him after all, and healed the minor injuries he and his army sustained. And for the first time, Leo produced the tree he so wished to with the Brynhildr- a powerful sycamore that wrapped its branches around the house itself and crushed those still inside.

Camilla met them returning into the castle, a grim expression on her face. Leo pushed past them to report to his father, his legs weary and his eyes dead. Elise followed behind him, and it was only then that Leo realised that he never should have let his twelve year old sister go on the mission with him.

"We got rid of the rebels, father," Leo reported.

"Well done, my son. I'm glad to hear you're using the Brynhildr to its full potential."

"I'm thankful and incredibly humbled that you would decide to bestow it on me, father."

"Alright. Now, be gone. I have other business to attend to."

Surprisingly, Leo wasn't that upset.

* * *

He was fifteen when he began to hate himself more than ever.

He was sitting in the hallway of the castle when Corrin walked past, tossing her hair over her shoulder, her fringe sticking to her forehead after a sparring session. He glanced up at her, and his eyes went wide. His heart was beating quickly in his chest, and he felt his face heating up. She smiled sweetly at him, walking past before backtracking a little.

"Are you okay, little brother? You look slightly feverish?" She asked, and to make things worse, she placed a hand on his forehead. He swatted her away, and when he answered, his voice came out rather choked.

"I'm fine."

"If you insist," she laughed, not believing a word that he said. She moved on, but he stayed there, holding his head in his hands.

It wasn't the first time that Leo had noticed Corrin's 'womanly charms', but the first time he had realised _why_. She was his sister, but it was only now that Leo began to realise that he saw her as more than that. It was disgusting, and wrong, and he knew it, but part of him knew that because they weren't _really_ related, it wasn't as bad. He could pursue her to his heart's content. He was right, of course- he always was. But at the same time, he was oh, so wrong.

Her words echoed in his head.

Are you okay, _little brother?_

With his eyes closed, he could imagine her face at first if he made a move. She'd laugh at first- I love you too, brother. But when he explained properly, her face would fall, contort into a mixture of disgust and horror at his words. And then she'd leave- he'd never see her again, the object of his affections. But she wasn't just an object. Corrin was a goddess, some ethereal being that could cut down practice dummies like they were made of butter even with the worst sword available to her.

And Leo was nothing in comparison to her.

He lifted his head to see Niles in front of him, but he ignored the older man's taunting questions, even if they came from a genuine place of concern. He walked down the corridor in the same direction that Corrin did, but went into his own room that he slept in while in the Northern Fortress. He locked the door behind him and lifted Brynhildr from the shelf, holding the spine loosely in his hand. He held the other hand out in front of him as vines wrapped around his arm, clinging slightly too tightly. With another thought of her, the vines sprouted thorns and cut into his arm, causing blood to seep from each puncture. Tears rolled ungracefully down his cheeks, causing his face to grey as he slid down the wall. He landed hard on the ground, Brynhildr falling out of his grip, sliding across the floor. Corrin flashed in his mind again.

* * *

He was sixteen when he watched her spar with his older brother.

He was never quite sure where he stood when it came to Xander. He was clearly Corrin's favourite, and had been since they met. Even though Leo and Camilla were closer in age to her, she didn't pay them anywhere near as much attention as Leo would've hoped she would. Elise too was largely ignored as Corrin grew up, her penchant for play, even at fourteen, went largely ignored by her older sister. Corrin cared more about swordsmanship and getting as strong as she possibly could than the fickle things that Elise was interested in.

So instead of spending time reading with her as they used to do when she was much younger, he watched her fight Xander, dashing to meet his sword thrusts and parrying them. She had nowhere near as much physical strength as he did, but her agility and the fact that she was so nimble on her feet meant that they were on almost an even footing. Xander still won almost every time, but Corrin was never injured by her older brother.

Leo had never had the sort of sword skills necessary to properly match up with Corrin. They had sparred on a few occasions, and every time she beat him. He was too scared to hurt her, and he knew that even now, _especially_ now, he couldn't face her in a one on one fight. He turned back to his flower bed, concentrating hard to make fresh pink tulips sprout, right beside the white roses. He heard a final clash of metal, and a few seconds later, Corrin was kneeling by his side, carefully poking the newly grown flowers.

"Is this what you do for training?" She smiled softly.

"I do battle training too, thank you very much," he answered defensively. She was much too close for his liking, and he moved away instinctively.

"I appreciate your plants, though. I can see them from my window. And these ones are particularly colourful." She grinned at him baring her pointed teeth. That was another thing he noticed was different about her.

"I planted them for you, you know. To make things nicer around here for you. It's more grim than at Castle Krakenburg, I tell you."

"Thank you, Leo," she said kindly, squeezing his upper arm.

"Corrin!" Xander called, and within an instant she was back on her feet, waving to him as she left.

"See you later."

He glanced up at her tower that she had gestured lamely at before. She was a princess stuck in a tower, not allowed to leave for her own safety. Leo had perceived that there was a magical barrier around the castle. He was right, of course- he always was. When he probed Xander about it once, he couldn't give him a straight answer- but Leo had his suspicions. Corrin had only once left the fortress, to his knowledge, and when she was reprimanded for it, he just had to wonder _why_.

* * *

He was seventeen when he was forced to watch her have her own party to celebrate her coming eighteen.

It was nice to see her being excited about something for once. Nobles had been invited to the fortress, most of them for the first time, to see her on this special occasion. One didn't turn eighteen every day, after all. They were all invited into the ballroom (which was a lot smaller than the one in Castle Krakenburg, Leo noted) and she met everyone and talked and danced the night away. He and his other siblings were invited too. Free of his armour for once, Leo hung at the side of the room, awkwardly circled the food table, not even touching a plate of it.

He watched Corrin from a distance. She seemed to be a natural at the whole socialising thing, unlike him. From experience at the parties that they were sometimes invited to at Castle Krakenburg, he had realised that they really weren't his thing. Camilla too was a people person, and while it wasn't Xander's favourite thing in the world, he persevered through it. And Elise... well, Elise was everyone's favourite. She lit up the room, while he was just... forgotten.

Corrin stood in the centre of the room, her black dress pooling around her feet. It looked as though it was made from the stars themselves, unnoticed until she stood in shadow and the light hit it just right and it lit up. Her hair was tamed and tied in a low ponytail, and she had silver jewellery up and down her arms. He knew the instant he saw her that it was Camilla that had styled her so beautifully, so perfectly for such an occasion. He wanted to go over to her and ask her to dance, but she had been floating around with Silas for most of the evening, and it was only a matter of time before they began to waltz. Besides, it would've been improper for her to engage in such behaviour. Dancing with her younger brother- who did he think he was?

But she came over to him anyway, despite how much he tried to hide behind waiters with floating trays of champagne and made himself busy by talking to random aristocrats he didn't know and had no interest in. She placed a hand on his lower arm and gently led him away from those he was using as an excuse to avoid her. She knew his game immediately, and he swallowed hard.

"Are you ignoring me?"

"Not at all, sister," he replied smoothly, putting particular emphasis on the 's'.

"It looks like it."

"I would never ignore you, and you know it."

"True," she hummed, tightening her grip on his arm. Her eyes were unreadable, and he felt his face heat up as they held eye contact.

"I was going to ask you to dance, but I know you'd say no."

She moved away then, and true to his prediction, she was dancing with Silas. He was right, of course- he always was.

* * *

He was eighteen when he had the same sort of experience.

It was Camilla that styled him too, sweeping his hair off his face, putting his hair band back n properly, and ensuring weeks in advance that his suit fitted him perfectly. Camilla cooed over her little brother, placing numerous kisses on his head. He ended up swatting her away, but she followed him around the party, telling him which girls to talk to and which to avoid. She was followed by Elise, who had let her pigtails down and had abandoned the pink in favour of a black dress that Camilla also had a hand in.

Corrin on the other hand, was dressed a lot more demurely, with a tea dress the same colour as her eyes. His eyes were still drawn to her over all the girls in the room. She knew about what he thought of her, he reckoned. She ran her hand over his arm and winked at him every time she walked past. He did as Camilla instructed, and talked to those girls that she had pointed out. None of them were as exciting as his sister, however. None of them had the excited twinkle that permanently resided in her eyes; none of them had the natural life energy that shone out from her.

He had to get away. He practically flew down the stairs and out onto the training field, to the tiny flower bed that he called his own. He had requested that he held the party at the Northern Fortress because he wanted Corrin to be there, and Elise had excitedly informed him that her own party would be there in two year's time. He said that he wanted to be here, but he had left at almost the first opportunity he got. She was stifling him, and she knew it.

A click of heels grabbed him from his stupor.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, and Leo lifted his head to see her standing there, leaning one hand against the wall.

"Claustrophobic," he mumbled, and she grabbed his face in one hand.

"Don't lie to me," she growled, and he could smell the alcohol on her breath.

"You," he managed to get out. It wasn't a confession of any kind- there could be a million reasons why he was avoiding her. But she pushed him into the stone wall behind him and kissed him hard, her lips sloppy against his. His knees went weak, but he pushed her away.

"This is wrong."

"That's not to say you don't like it." She kissed him again, and this time he reciprocated, snaking his arms around her waist to get as much contact as he could.

He thought he had gotten over his feelings for her, but it was at this moment that he realised that he had always been wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now he's older, but not wiser.

He was nineteen when he lost her.

They had barely interacted since his last birthday. He had thrown himself fully into the war effort, whereas she spent all her time perfecting her sword technique with her perfect older brother. They had met briefly, only a matter of days ago, when he had saved her from their father's wrath and teleported the Hoshidans away just to save her.

He said their father, but he meant  _his_.

She still didn't know they weren't related, even at the age of twenty. Well, no one had told her, but she would've had to be pretty stupid to not realise by this point in her life. But Corrin needed people to explain things to her, that was how she learned. And no one had ever explained the thing that would eventually become her downfall.

It was almost Elise's eighteenth birthday when she disappeared. His youngest sister had been so excited for Corrin to spend her birthday with her yet again, but they were informed that Corrin had never returned from her mission. She was sent to the Bottomless Canyon, and they were left to fear the worst when a search party was sent out to find her and only returned with a badly shaken Jakob who had wandered back on his own. He didn't see anything, and all they could do was pray to the Dusk Dragon that she hadn't fallen into the canyon like Gunter had.

Camilla cried for days. The woman was inconsolable, even by her retainers who stayed by her side. Xander was silent and stoic as usual, but in quiet moments Leo could see the heartbreak clear on his elder brother's face. Elise too was torn apart, and Leo had to be the one to comfort her when he was, in his opinion, the one worst affected by Corrin's disappearance. No one ever asked him how he felt, and that made him feel so small.

Elise celebrated her birthday in silence, in mourning for a sister they didn't know was alive. She didn't seem to care that she was missing out on the lavish parties her siblings had, she just hated that Corrin wasn't there with her. It took a long time to convince Camilla to go, who had been hell-bent on heading out to the Bottomless Canyon to lead a search for Corrin herself. Xander wouldn't let her, and Leo feigned disinterest when she tried to recruit him to go with her. She was horrified that Leo would care so little for their sister, but in reality he wasn't sure what he would do if they did find her. She would most definitely be a body by this point- she had been out there for long enough to die from mere exposure.

Leo never mentioned that he noticed their father truly didn't seem to care of Corrin's fate.

* * *

He was twenty when he stood across a battlefield from her.

They were sent there on command from their father, a man who they didn't say no to. They were told there would be high ranking Hoshidan warriors there, but in all their wildest dreams, they didn't think that they'd be standing across the battlefield from the Hoshidan Royal Family. Their leader, who they'd later find out called himself the High Prince, marched forward through oncoming Nohrian forces to challenge Xander to single combat. Duelling was not Xander's forte; he could take on entire armies on his own but one on one with another strong opponent was another story. With Elise to back him up he'd be fine, but that left Camilla and Leo to deal with the other five members of their elite force.

Wait.

"Camilla?" Leo asked, producing a defensive hedge around them so that he could quickly strategise.

"Yes, darling?" Her face was grave, verging on panicked, which scared Leo more than anything else.

"How many members of the Hoshidan Royal family are there? Siblings, I mean."

"Four, as far as I'm aware. We received reports a few minutes ago that the Queen of Hoshido was killed in an explosion involving a sword in the town square. There were numerous casualties and reports of a dragon. I have no idea what's going on there, but I have a terrible feeling about this."

"There are six siblings over there. So either your intel is wrong or something very strange is going on."

"Shall we get a closer look? Bring your retainers, darling. We'll need all the help we can get."

Slowly, the two advanced forward, dispatching Hoshidan forces as they went. Camilla protected Leo from the sky, and in return he took care of archers that were a potential threat to Marzia. It was only when they reached the bridge that they could see Xander again, clashing swords with their high prince. Across the bridge on a thin strip of land stood an archer, a Pegasus knight, and a healer, all with their weapons hesitantly pointed towards the two armoured Nohrians. While their hands were shaking, their faces were determined. From the back lines of the army, a flash of white flew towards Xander and his opponent, moving in a way that Leo could recognise from miles away.

"Stop this!" She cried, throwing herself between the two blades. All five heads turned towards them, as a blue haired girl slowly made her way towards the fight.

"Corrin?" Xander said, dropping his sword to his side. Instinctively, Leo and Camilla moved towards him, and her, with the Hoshidan royals running along beside them.

"Xander, please. You don't need to fight Ryoma."

"Are you hurt, darling?" Camilla called as she landed Marzia gently on the grass.

"You must choose, Kamui," the High Prince, Ryoma, said.  _Kamui?_  "You must choose between the family that loves you, the family that is tied by blood, and your kidnappers!"

"We're your family, Corrin."

"Big s-sister?" The Hoshidan healer whimpered.

"She's  _my_  sister!" Elise said, stomping her foot childishly on the ground.

Corrin looked between the two groups of people, her two  _families_  and sighed. She made eye contact with Leo and held his gaze for a moment too long. Her face was sad, her eyes brimming with tears, and as she turned away from him she could see her reach up to wipe them away. Instead of picking a side, she turned away, and walked away, holding her head away. The blue haired girl, who Leo vaguely recognised but had forgotten about, followed her, and out of nowhere she was joined by Jakob, who Leo had failed to notice on the battlefield.

As she walked away, rage rose within him, and all he could think was  _traitor._

* * *

He was twenty one when the war was in full swing.

Garon had commanded them to kill every Hoshidan on sight. There was something strange about him, but Leo could never put his finger on what was wrong. Camilla kept herself locked up in her room as much as possible, while Elise was rarely to be found. She would never listen to her older siblings, and any time they came into contact with her she would burst into floods of tears. Xander was colder than ever, and became ruthless on the battlefield. It scared Leo- he didn't know what he was supposed to do. He was too old to forget about it now, too old to ignore his family crumbling around him.

"Izumo," was the only command he received from his father. According to their intel and well placed spies, that's where Corrin and her growing army were headed. He was to go alone, in what he supposed was another test of his strength. And he was to kill Corrin if he saw her. This presented him with a problem. He knew if he didn't follow through with orders he would be killed on sight, but he also knew that there was no way he could kill Corrin, even if she did destroy his life.

Izumo was neutral territory, and technically they shouldn't be fighting there. But when Leo arrived at the palace there he could sense that something was up. Bodies were strewn about the main hallway, and when he entered the room, he saw Corrin with her sword pointed at the neck of a Nohrian sorcerer. Her hand was trembling, and her teeth were digging into her lip in hesitation. From where he stood, he cast a spell that manifested into a huge oak tree that tore the sorcerer apart.

"Zola is disgusting. This is a peaceful land. He should not be here." He glared at the body as he cantered forwards, pulling his horse to a stop.

"Leo!" Corrin cried.

"Corrin."

"Did you know him?"

"Zola," he reiterated. "I don't know why he was here, but he is scum. I, on the other hand, was sent to kill you." Her army bristled at that comment, but she seemed unfazed.

"Leo, won't you come with us? We could do with your strategic prowess and power." She held her hand out to him.

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"I don't side with traitors. You're no longer a sister to me, Corrin."

She didn't need to know that he hadn't seen her as a sister in many years. It was scripted so that he didn't have to show weakness in front of her. Her face fell, and his heart sank. He cast another spell, breaking the door open, and then disappeared before he had to see the aftermath of his appearance.

When he rode away, he couldn't help tears falling down his face.

* * *

It was less than half a year later when they received news that Camilla had joined Corrin.

She too was immediately branded a traitor. This time, it was Elise's turn to squirrel herself away in her room. Both her brothers knew what the youngest Nohrian royal was planning, but both elected to ignore her. They were too busy with the war effort, although it wasn't always clear who they were fighting. The Hoshidan army was considerably thinned, with two of their siblings joining up with Corrin's army, as well as their retainers. Camilla's own retainers were missing, and Leo knew it was only a matter of time before they lost Elise too.

"Xander-"

"None of this, Leo."

"I hadn't even said anything yet."

"You're going to suggest that we join up with Corrin."

"You know me so well," Leo sighed.

He had spent more time with his brother in the months since Corrin's original disappearance than he did in the other nineteen years of his life. The two of them were frequently sent out together by their father or Iago, and Leo was promised to be made a high ranking army official if they succeeded in their missions. He didn't particularly want to be promoted- he would've been happier behind the scenes as a tactician, but his growing prowess as a mage had made its way to his father's ear, and he was frequently forced to the front lines.

"I know you miss Corrin," Xander began, but Leo cut him off.

"Nonsense."

"You don't need to hide that from me. She is a traitor of Nohr, but I believe she is a good person at heart."

"She's no longer related to me. She's a traitor. Against Nohr, and against us."

"Leo-"

"No. It doesn't matter."

"You're doing the right thing," Xander sighed, a sound that Leo's ears were finely tuned to pick up on as of late. "Putting your emotions aside to serve your country is the true mark of a soldier. Father is proud of you, you know."

"I care little for his opinion of me at this point, Xander."

"You've been through a lot recently. You can afford time off, Leo. Why don't you take a break?"

"The country needs me. I have many more battle plans to finish," Leo said with a huff, turning his attention away from his elder brother.

"Don't overwork yourself," Xander warned, but his tone was kind and he ruffled Leo's hair affectionately. Despite only being twenty five years of age, Xander was looking older by the day.

* * *

He was twenty two when they put their plan into action.

"Something is wrong with father," Leo comments nonchalantly, trying to get Xander's attention more than anything else.

"Let us walk while you explain what you mean by that," his brother answered, clearly distracted.

"His disposition has changed remarkably as of late and I do not fully trust that he is in a safe state of mind to be ruling."

"Do not speak such nonsense, Leo. Were you listening to Elise before she too turned traitor? This is the sort of thing she would have said."

"I didn't even know she had left until we read the note together, Xander. I don't understand why you are so hesitant to believe me. Especially after what Corrin said when you met her last. She said there was an invisible enemy, didn't she? She mentioned the same thing to me when I was in Izumo."

"That was over a year ago, Leo. You still believe her nonsense from then?"

"I too brushed her comments off as nonsense, but upon seeing father earlier today I have to wonder."

"He's just tired from the stresses of warfare. We all are. Not just father."

"Xander, will you listen to me for once! I am tired and stressed, you are tired and stressed, but neither of us are like this!" Leo cried, and with a shaky hand, pushed the heavy wooden door to the throne room open. King Garon sat on his throne, writhing in pain, crying out in words that were barely coherent. Leo's face fell- it was much worse than when he spotted his father earlier on. Xander's face painted a similar picture, before he pressed a hand to his brother's back and steered him out of the room.

"Now will you believe me?" Leo said quietly, once the two of them were a fair distance away.

"When did Corrin say that we were to meet her?" Xander answered briskly, marching forwards in the direction of the office he had taken to occupying.

"When the skies change."

"I don't suppose my genius younger brother knows when that would be?"

"You don't need to baby me, Xander. I'm not a child any longer." He paused for a moment to let his anger known before sighing as he followed Xander into the small office space. "Yes. Here," he said, pointing to a date on the calendar.

"We have a few months then," Xander commented, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Are we going to join up with her?" Leo asked, his voice quiet suddenly.

"I'll consider our options."

"Very well."

"Leo?"

"Yes, brother?"

"You were planning to join her regardless of father's condition or what I said, right? There's no way you could know the exact date of such an event off the top of your head."

"I dislike the way you can read me so well," Leo answered, hastily turning away so that Xander didn't see his moment of weakness.

* * *

He was twenty three when he saw her again.

They rode towards the Bottomless Canyon under the cover of darkness, leaving Nohr a few weeks before hand to ensure they made it on time. They set up camp, and it was only when the fire fields were lit nearby that they knew Corrin was in the vicinity. The two princes rode in silence onto the battlefield, followed closely by two sets of retainers. The area was filled with soldiers, and Leo could hear naught but Corrin's commanding cries from the other end of the field. He could see Camilla in the sky, closely followed by a white Pegasus that he presumed belonged to the eldest Hoshidan princess. The ground was lit up with magic, and it was only when he heard an all too familiar scream that he kicked his horse into action.

He rode down the battlefield at top speed, unwilling to let anything happen to her. It was only mere months ago, he noted, that he had denounced her completely to Xander, but in that short space of time he had grown up, realised that he truly couldn't live without her. It wasn't even that- he couldn't live with himself if anything happened to her. He could hear Xander's horse behind him, and Peri in the distance, but he wanted to get to her first, to apologise, to save her. Her armour was the only thing he could see- the light of the second Hoshidan prince's bow glinting off the gold. Leo felt a pang of jealousy upon seeing the archer- had he taken her place? But he shook his head- she was wearing the traditional Nohrian armour- thanks went to Camilla for that. If the other prince weren't there, she would have been completely camouflaged, and not in danger, with an enemy sword pointed to her throat. Paralysed with fear, neither she nor her fake brother could move or attack the man.

Without a word, he flicked open the pages of Brynhildr and cast, thorny vines emerging from the ground to strangle her enemy. He dropped his sword and she kicked it aside, taking in a deep breath as she looked around to find her saviour. When she made eye contact with him, he felt his mouth dry up as her eyes widened in shock. The battlefield went silent. Whether that was in his head or not he couldn't tell, because the next thing he heard was the cry of "traitor" from Iago not too far away. Corrin's eyes flicked from him to Xander, and to their retainers, before falling back on him.

"You came," were the only words that came out of her mouth, and he could only nod numbly. Xander was the one that could react anyway sensibly, cantering forward a little.

"Tell us where we can be of use to you, Corrin."

"We need help flanking Iago. Camilla and Ryoma are holding up the west, so if we take the east, Iago will be cornered. Takumi and I have been alone for a while, since Oboro and Hinata had to pull back to heal."

"Let's go then," Xander agreed, and he and Corrin went forwards, swords drawn, ready to fight. If he didn't know better, Leo would've described them as the epitome of Nohrian ideology. But Corrin resented Nohr more than any of the rest of them. Her shock upon seeing them was not happy shock, but some other emotion stirred up from deep within her. Their eye contact was not happy, but verging on disgust, and Leo felt sick to his stomach upon thinking about her.

"Gods, you've got it bad," Niles said slyly, muttering more to himself than to his liege.

"Excuse me?"

"Lady Corrin is a fine specimen of a woman, so I don't blame you. I'm just surprised to hear you speechless, that's all. You always have some sort of snide comment up your sleeve, milord," he explained, adding the title at the end only upon a glare from his liege.

"Niles, Corrin is my sister."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. I guarantee you won't be saying that in a year's time."

* * *

He was twenty four when he told her.

He spent more time avoiding her than with her, but she often tracked him down. The commander of the army was constantly at his door, much to his chagrin, begging him for tactics lessons. He taught her, begrudgingly, knowing that if he did it would make her go away faster. And, he thought, as she leaned particularly close to him moving her pieces over the map he made for her, it was all for the benefit of the war effort. Once he had taught her enough to ensure they didn't die under her command, he went back to ignoring her.

He returned to his room each night, exhausted from training with Takumi (they had slowly become friends) or guard duty, which was rotated between all members of Corrin's large army. Valla was a tough place to navigate, and Leo couldn't complain about the Astral Plane to get at least a few hours of rest every day. On one occasion that he returned to his room late, he found a small box sitting on the table beside his bed. A messy note was sitting on it, with handwriting that he couldn't place immediately.

_Ask her- your retainers_

Confused, Leo lifted the box, surprised at how lightweight it was and that it was coated in velvet. He flipped the lid open, and only sighed when his suspicions about the box's contents were confirmed. A ring sat in the middle- a silver band, with a large tear shaped diamond in the middle, surrounded by other tiny diamonds. It had been a long time since he had purchased the ring. Back in Nohr, before they had left to join Corrin's army. He didn't know how long he would be away from the royal jewellers, and if there was one word to describe Leo it was pragmatic. He had planned on asking her eventually, but had entrusted the ring to Laslow in the hope that the mercenary would forget about it. It was staggeringly beautiful, he had to admit, but there was no way he could give it to Corrin. Even if he had the courage to ask her, she would most definitely say no. A leader like Corrin was suited to someone more like Xander or Ryoma. Not a second prince like himself. He was nothing. Nothing in the eyes of the world, nothing in the eyes of her.

Pocketing the box, he left his room once more in a fit of fury, heading to the western side of the camp on the Astral Plane, where there was a small wall that he found comfortable to sit on and think. Here, he found Hayato, who he swiftly dismissed, saying he'd take his position on guard duty. The boy left without asking any questions, glad to get some sleep rather than having to burn his eyes to keep them open. Leo took up his position on the wall, facing out into the vast nothingness that surrounded Corrin's customised castle. It was cute, he thought- modelled on Cyrkensia, a place that she could only have seen when it had been destroyed. Here, he was alone with his thoughts, and had time to mull over what his retainers had so boldly suggested.

The night of his eighteenth birthday was still fresh in his mind. That was the only time anyone had ever kissed him, and it was  _Corrin_  of all people. She was clearly drunk at the time, and he had taken advantage of the situation to pursue his selfish desires. She had gotten bored of him quickly, however, and he had seen her later in the night crying with Camilla, who merely patted her head and stroked her hair. At the time, Leo was convinced that she didn't remember a thing about the event, but now he wasn't so sure.

"Alright, Hayato, you can- Leo!" Her voice came from behind him, and he cringed, not daring to look around. "I thought I had it right... surely Hayato should have been here."

"We swapped."

"Oh. Okay then," she said, her voice chipper. "I was just doing my rounds, telling everyone that we'll be safe for the night until the morning watch people get up." She stifled a yawn, one that Leo could hear without even seeing her.

"Go to bed, Corrin. You'll be of no use to the army if you're sleep deprived. No amount of training you can do will make you able to stay up all night."

Ignoring his command, she sat on the wall beside him, a little too close for his liking. He shuffled over a little, pivoting so that he sat facing the camp. It was eerily silent, with the only lights being the one from whoever was leaving the southern gate and in the cabin he knew belonged to Xander. Corrin turned too, not taking the hint that he wanted to be left alone. She peered into his face, and he turned his head away from her, trying to keep his inevitable blush under control.

"What's wrong, Leo? You look so sad..." she asked, her voice trailing off pathetically at the end of the sentence.

"Not now, Corrin. It's late. You need to sleep."

"What's the matter?" She pressed, "I know you too well, Leo. You can't keep anything from me." She bumped his side with her elbow, a soft smile on her face. "Come on now; tell me what's bothering you."

"...Could you please just leave me alone for a while?" Leo sighed, holding his head in his hands so she couldn't see the pure panic on his face.

"You... y-you don't mean that, right?" Corrin asked. She stumbled over her words, and Leo cringed, knowing that he'd accidentally upset her.

"Sorry, it's just..." He paused to take a deep breath, to compose himself. He lifted his head and attempted a smile, but he knew that it was weak. "You're the last person I want to see me like this."

"Oh, don't be silly. Being sad is nothing to be embarrassed about."

"You don't understand. You  _couldn't._ " There was venom in his voice now, like he was determined to hurt her just to make her go away. "Please, just go."

"There's really nothing I can do to help you?"

A pause.

"Nothing at all?" She prompted.

Another pause.

"Very well. If you don't want me around, I'll... leave you to your solitude. Just know that I'm here for you. If you need anything at all, please let me know." She got up from the wall, and bowed slightly to bid him goodnight. Her face was sad, and his heart sank to see her like that. As she turned to leave, he reached out, without really thinking about it, and grabbed her hand. It was warm, a lot warmer than he expected, and calloused from using a sword so often.

"...forgive me, Corrin. Perhaps... perhaps you can help me after all." He met her eyes this time, sincerely, and she smiled. "Will you hear me out?"

"I thought you'd never ask," she laughed softly, sitting back on the stone wall beside him. She sat close to him again, but this time he didn't move over, simply allowing her warmth to permeate through him.

"I have a problem, and for the life of me I can't figure out a solution."

"There's something even the great Leo can't figure out?! What could it be?" She teased.

"Ha ha, very funny," Leo replied dryly, his mouth forming a tight line. "There's something I want very badly, but I don't know how to go about obtaining it. This has never happened. I've never had a problem I couldn't think my way out of. I know it would be foolish to act without proper planning... and yet, I can't hold myself back any longer."

"Leo... if it means that much to you, you have to go for it!" She cheered, her hands clasped in front of her chest. "What is it you want?"

"Perhaps this will make things clear." Taking a deep breath, Leo reached into his pocket and pulled out the box, pressing it into Corrin's hands. She fumbled with it for a second before flipping the lid open, a small gasp passing over her lips. Her eyes flicked from the ring to Leo and back to the ring again, unsure of what to say.

"This is a ring."

"Keen as ever," Leo laughed; her weak comment his only source of amusement. "But as you might have surmised, this isn't just any ring... this is the ring you give to one special person whom you vow to love for eternity. When I bought this ring for you, for the first time in my life, I felt... happy. Pure happiness, like everything finally made sense in my life." The words flowed off his tongue without him even thinking about it, pouring out of his soul and straight into her ears. Her eyes were filled with tears, and he could do naught but reach up to wipe them away.

"I've been battling these emotions since I first learned we aren't blood related, which was when I was ten," he admitted. "But as I said, I cannot hold them back any longer."

"You don't mean..."

"Dear Corrin... it seems I've fallen madly in love with you," he said, suppressing a laugh at how strange the situation seemed to be. He took her free hand sincerely, staring straight into her eyes. "Would you do me the honour of accepting this ring?"

"Leo! I don't know what to say..."

"I know- it's just... you're all I ever think about. I love you so much, I'm in agony!" She looked away at that, nibbling nervously on her lower lip, pulling the skin away. She let the ring drop to her lap, and twisted her finger together.

"I'm sorry," he said, getting to his feet. "I know this is probably the last thing you expected me to say. But now that it's out there, I must know... do you feel the same? And Corrin, let me make this clear- if your answer is no, I will not hate you, I will not force you into marrying me, I will not think any less of-"

"Leo..." Corrin said, taking his hand and pulling him back down to sit beside her. "Thank you. I happily accept this beautiful ring."

"R-really?"

"Yes. I feel the same as you. These feelings are unexpected, but also... beautiful. I'm glad you said something. I don't think I ever would have had the courage to. I know I still have much to learn, but I promise to try my hardest for you! I want nothing more than to be worthy of your love."

"You are perfectly splendid just as you are, Corrin." He lifted the box from her knee, and with a smile put the ring on her finger and kissed the back of her hand. "Together, I'm sure we will both continue to grow as warriors and as people."

"I look forward to it," she said, a light laugh crossing her mouth.

"Thank you for your hand, Corrin. I swear to devote my life to your happiness."

"Oh, Leo... I promise the same."

She moved her hand to rest on his cheek, and without much more prompting Leo leaned forward to capture her lips with his. She relaxed into him, tilting her head so their noses were no longer squished together. It had been a long time coming, this kiss, six years since their last one. Leo would've liked to stay this way until the sun came up, but eventually she prised herself away from him, a stupid grin on her face the likes of which he couldn't recall having seen before. The way she looked away from him and brushed her hair out of her eyes nervously only set to make him fall even more in love with her.

"I've hidden my feelings for so long... I can't believe you felt the same way all this time. Stay with me forever?"

"Happily," Corrin replied, planting another kiss on his lips.

"Now, I still must insist you go to bed."

"Fine, fine. You can walk me to my cabin, then."

"With pleasure. I must insist that I get a good night kiss, though."

"I'll be happy to oblige."

Leo stood up first, and held a hand out to his newly betrothed for her to take. His fingers wrapped hesitantly around hers, her warm skin heating his cold hands. As they reached her cabin, she turned seriously to him, taking his other hand in hers as well. She looked up into his eyes, her facial expression almost unreadable.

"Leo... I'd ask you that you didn't tell anyone about this. I don't want our marriage to become a distraction for anyone in the army, ourselves or anyone else. Perhaps... perhaps we can have the wedding after the war is over."

"We can wait if that's what you want. But... I have the teleporting tome. We can go back up to the surface to marry at any time."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Corrin agreed, her face changing into a warm smile. Her hands rested on his forearms as she stood on her tip toes to kiss him, her lips gently pressing against his for only a second. "Good night, Leo. And thank you."

He waited outside her door for her to get inside safely, and she offered him a wave from her window before he turned away. He had to pass Xander's room on the way to his own, and unfortunately for him, his brother was still awake, and happened to be looking out the window. Leo hurried on past, but Xander rushed out of the room to talk to him.

"Why are you awake so late at night, Leo?"

"I couldn't sleep," he excused lamely. "I went for a walk."

"Something the matter?"

"No, everything is good. Fresh air has helped."

"I worry about you, Leo. You never seem to show any interest in other people."

"Other people rarely show interest in me, brother," Leo said, eyebrows furrowing.

"You should take a leaf out of Corrin's book, and- wait, is that lipstick on your face?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Good night."

"Leo, wait. Leo!"

* * *

He was twenty five when they won the war.

Anankos's corpse floated off into the astral plane as he wiped the blood off his face, leaving an unsightly red smear. He was out of breath, as were most people around him. He tucked Brynhildr under his arm, and silently thanked Sakura, who had been healing him throughout the arduous battle. He had only one thing on his mind now- finding Corrin. She had caused him enough stress this day, what with her apparent death earlier on. Leo spotted her across the battlefield, pushing sweaty hair out of her eyes, a blank expression on her face, somewhere between shock and elation. He broke into a run, running towards the leader of the army.

"Corrin!" He called, attracting both her attention and that of everyone around him. She turned to him and also began to run towards him, sword tucked at her side and her arms outstretched.

As soon as they met, she jumped at him, and he lifted her up and spun her around in her arms, her face lighting up as she looked into the eyes of her beloved. When he set her down again, he was sure that his face was bright red, but when she grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him down to her to kiss him, he didn't care at all who was watching them or who now knew about their relationship. She was the only thing that mattered to him in that moment, and the fact that she was safe.

"When were you going to tell us about this?" Camilla said when they pulled apart, still giddy with the shock of winning the war.

"Yeah, big brother, when were you going to tell us about you and Corrin?" Elise chimed in, skipping up to the two of them.

"Now's as good a time as any," Corrin smiled, softly encouraging him to tell everyone.

"We... we're married," he explained. "We have been for a while, actually."

"Why didn't you tell us? We would've been happy to support you both," Ryoma offered, placing a caring hand on Corrin's shoulder.

"I didn't want this to be a distraction for everyone else during such pressing times. A commander can't be seen as someone who spends the majority of their time with their partner and rejects their duties. So... well, we spend time together briefly."

"Now, the two of you can spend time together as much as you want once we get back to the surface, but I'm afraid we have other things to deal with. This place is collapsing. Any way we can get back to the Astral Plane, Corrin?" Takumi said with a characteristic roll of his eyes.

"Let us go. We shall celebrate victory tonight!"

* * *

He was twenty six when he met the new love of his life.

Leo was not particularly a patient man, and spending the night wandering up and down the corridor outside the infirmary in Castle Krakenburg, where Camilla had insisted that they stayed for the time being, was his idea of hell. Odin and Niles joined him in his pacing, cracking jokes and making the evening more bearable. Jakob appeared every now and again, a tray with a pot of coffee in one hand and toast in the other, helping the men get through the boredom of the night.

Nothing could be heard from the infirmary itself- Leo had to presume a soundproofing spell had been cast on it. Occasionally, someone wandered in an out of the room, and he would crane his neck to see what was going on. It was windy outside, with early spring showers heralding the dawn. Not long after the clock struck five, Elise's head poked around the corner of the door, signalling Leo to come closer.

"Big brother! You can come in now."

Hesitantly, he made his way towards the door, biting his lip in a vain attempt to alleviate some of the nervousness. Once he was in the room, he hurried to the end bed, where his wife lay, her dark hair splayed out on the pillow. She turned her head to him and smiled weakly, and for the first time he heard the shrill cries of a baby. His baby.  _Their_ baby. In a tiny bundle of blankets resting in her arms was this impossibly tiny creature, half her and half him, looking up at him with dark purple eyes, a small tuft of black hair sticking out over its forehead.

"It's a boy," Corrin said with a grin. She offered the bundle of blankets up to him, and he bent down to carry the baby in his arms.

He was still so small, and as Leo brushed his finger against the child's cheeks the eyes drifted shut, the baby falling asleep almost immediately. Leo couldn't help but smile, wandering in circles, gently rocking the baby back and forth. Only once before in his life had he felt such love, almost two years ago on the stone wall at the edge of the Astral Plane. Both of his favourite moments, he noted, were connected to Corrin, and he glanced over at her to reaffirm his love. Perching on the edge of her bed, he planted a kiss on her forehead, and drew back from her smiling.

"I love you so much," he whispered.

"I love you too."

"It feels barely like yesterday that we met. When I taught you how to read when you were stuck in the tower."

"You remember all that? Wow, how embarrassing."

"Of course I do. I know everything," he joked, and she could only laugh.

"Well then, if you know everything, tell me something about myself."

"That you love me more than anyone else?" He joked, and she laughed again, tired, yet clear as a bell.

He was right, of course- he always was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took so long to finish thanks if you waited patiently! i stole so much game dialogue in this one owo


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